Comet ISON: Are you trying to see it?

[rene-gedaly]

I'm at 29.5° north latitude this weekend with a great view of the southeast from the deck of a family beach cabin. Following advice in Get your first peek at Comet ISON, Astronomy, p. 50, Sep 2013 issue. Don't expect to see it yet, but I do want to get extra familiar with this part of the sky. Stayed up way too late last night; now I have to try to move back to early morning observing. Thinking that we sure got a lot of bang for the buck with Comet PANSTARRS. Would be nice to see ISON; can't imagine it would be as easy to see, though. Okay, that's the only pessimism I'll permit myself

[Guest]

I cant wait for ISON. Im currently searching for good viewing spots to see it. Besides my house I have 2 other sites not including the Columbus site. ISON is another reason I have sped up my involvement in astrophotography. Planning on taking my telescope to LS&S for service sometime in the next few days. Also I just recently got the Sky Safari Plus App. With it I have been able to track ISON through the solar system.

Anyway, ISON will be my second comet. Hale-Bopp was my first. HubbleSite.org has a video up on their site talking about getting Hubble images of ISON. There is a lot out there and im really excited about it!

[rene-gedaly]

If ever it was a good time to camp out at the dark site, the November prime night weekend will surely be it (if weather and light pollution cooperate). ISON should be easy to spot as it lies in southern Leo, 12 degrees southwest of Denebola and 7 degrees south-southeast of Mars around 3:30 a.m. according to Astronomy. Sunrise is around 6:30 a.m. Sunday Nov 3rd. We'll have plenty of coffee ready

[Guest]

Sadly im going to be out of town that weekend. So looks like my next best chance would be the morning of 11/16 or 11/17 before the swing around the sun.

[sfast]

The latest light curve is showing it at mag 13-14. I think that would require very dark skies, if it's even possible in my 8", so I haven't looked yet. Has anyone else had luck?

Here's the light curve as of 16 October http://www.isoncampaign.org/Present

[rene-gedaly]

Yeah, I keep forgetting about the publishing lead times and to use the actual histories/running projections but I'm trying the 3rd anyway. Do not want to get caught unprepared waiting for perfect. It served me well for Panstarrs, but mileage may vary, especially with comets. Maybe I'll get really lucky at the Eldorado Star Party that week and someone with a large scope will be looking then.

[rene-gedaly]

We could use the C-14 in the observatory...

[kdrake]

I'm seeing much brighter magnitudes posted visually than 13-14...

pasted from the Yahoo CometObs group

C/2012S1 (ISON)
2013 Oct 27.16 UT: m1=10.0, Dia.= ~4' DC=2; 80x200L; Alex Scholten
(Eerbeek, Netherlands) (possible underestimated due to moonlight, Last
Quarter)

C/2012 S1 (ISON):
2013 Oct. 29.18 UT: m1= 9.7, Dia=4.0', DC=4, tail 0.2deg. in PA 300,
40.7-cm L (58x); Nicolas Biver, Ablis, France

C/2012 S1 ISON
2013 Oct. 28.31 UT: m= 10.0:,...18cm L (57x)...Alexandre Amorim(Florianopolis,Brazil)[altitude 19 degrees, nautical twilight, moonligh interference]
Leia e Conheça
"O Astrônomo Brazilício"
http://www.costeira1.rg10.net